Set sights on creating jobs that deliver basic needs
Thursday December 31 2020
By BUSINESS DAILY
Summary
The data shows that 45.9 percent or 1.34 million of 2.92 million workers in the formal sector took home less than Sh30,000 last year.
Over the past five years, the economy has created an additional 550,000 formal jobs, majority of these going to the category of those earning below Sh30,000.
This means that while more Kenyans are getting employment, they are coming in at wages that make it difficult for them to meet basic needs, especially in urban areas.
The latest jobs report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has shown that the economy is struggling to create high-paying or high quality jobs.
THE STANDARD By
Peter Theuri |
December 31st 2020 at 10:16:23 GMT +0300
The roundabout along Eastern Bypass next to Windsor Hotel have been converted into an informal market (Maxwell Agwanda)
It was described as a year of survival, and the numbers said as much about 2020.
A health crisis that morphed into an economic crisis saw millions lose jobs.
The economy experienced one of the sharpest contractions in the second quarter, as schools, pubs, hotels and airports remained closed.
The government, which has not been getting sufficient tax revenues, plunged into the debt market to help stimulate the economy.
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Besides giving taxpayers reliefs, the government also set aside some money as part of a stimulus package.
Kenya: Uhuru Hits Salaried Workers With Hidden Tax Increase allafrica.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from allafrica.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Nearly half of Kenyans earn below Sh30,000
Wednesday December 30 2020
By JOHN MUTUA
Summary
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) data, released last week, show 45.9 percent or 1.34 million of 2.92 million workers in the formal sector took home less than Sh30,000 last year.
The share of workers earning less than Sh30,000 has remained little changed since 2014, a pointer that Kenya’s economic growth over the period has failed to offer low-earning employees a sharper pay rise.
Those earning more than Sh100,000 accounted for 2.9 percent of the 2.92 million formal workers captured in the data, the wage inequality among formal workers.
Nearly half of workers in the formal sector earn less than Sh30,000 per month, reflecting Kenya’s pay inequality and the burden households face in acquiring basic items like rent and food.
Welcoming New Year with a renewed sense of hope
Wednesday December 30 2020
Mombasa residents board a ferry at Likoni Channel in November. Normal activities are resuming after easing of Covid-19 curbs. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NMG
By RUFUS MWANYASI
Summary
Although victory over the novel coronavirus still lies many months into the future, the new year promises a renewed sense of hope at least, the Covid-19 vaccines are here to start with.
The first batch has been authorised for use and dissemination has begun in several countries.
This marks a major turning point in the pandemic and adds fresh optimism for a next normal in the new year.